Downpour: Tools not Toys

Great weekend. We wrapped up our annual retreat on the Holy Spirit on Saturday. Dale Evrist from Nashville spoke and I believe he helped some people. The theme on Saturday was the gifts of the Spirit as "tools not toys." Important to understand.

I have been saying this and was glad to hear this affirmed by someone else. Many look at the gifts in 1 Cor 14 as gifts which are resident. Rather these are "owned" by the Holy Spirit, not us. I don't own the gift of healing. But the Holy Spirit can in His wisdom sovereignly give me a gift of healing--not for myself, but to be given away to someone who needs it! The gift isn't for me but for whom I might be praying for!

If we don't understand this, some will decline to pray for someone who needs healing giving the reason: "I don't have the gift of healing. You need to contact "Brother Jack" who has that gift." While some may seem to be used more frequently by the Holy Spirit with a particular "tool of the Spirit" this doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit won't use you at a given moment. If you are there and Brother Jack isn't, expect that the Holy Spirit may use you.

These gifts in 1 Cor 14 are different than those mentioned in Romans 12. Romans 12 are gifts the Father wired you with when you were born. They can be used for good or for selfish reasons. (Just consider those with the gift of government!) The gifts of the Father are "inherent" in the individual and would in my view be those gifts that remain. These gifts may be those referred to by the Scripture, "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." (Romans 11.29, niv)

Saturday, Pr. Dave and Pr. Ryan led a session where people prayed for one another and waited for the Holy Spirit to minister. People were encouraged and blessed in these circles of prayer. That's the idea: the members edify and build each other up by the Holy Spirit as He gives them tools for the moment as needed.

No midweek service---Get ready for Downpour!

You don’t want to miss Downpour this weekend. This spiritual retreat will focus on being refreshed and renewed by life in the Holy Spirit. I want all of you to be there. We need the grace and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives for ministry and life.

A reminder about the schedule this week…

• No services will be offered this Wednesday (8/19) on our campus. We are doing this to make room in our schedule to prepare for Downpour, Fri-Sat.
  

• Friday night will begin at 7 p.m. The event is free and children’s ministry will be offered for children (infants-5th grade)
  

• Saturday sessions will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. with a break for lunch. The event is free for adults but childcare will be offered at $5 per child for ages 4 and under. Deadline RSVP for childcare is Thursday.

Come expecting that He will come to us like the rain. “Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."(Hosea 6:3 NASB)

with thanksgiving

I'm reading R.T. Kendall's book, "Did you think to pray?" To be encouraged regarding prayer, this is a must read. It's worth getting the book if only to hear his words regarding gratitude. In one chapter he talks about how his life was forever impacted by the words "with thanksgiving" in Phil 4.6. While preaching, he was convicted in his soul by the Spirit of his own lack of gratitude.

"Remember how I answered your prayer about...."
"Yes, Lord."
"Did you thank me?"
"No."
"Have you seen how I've blessed you with..."
"Yes. And I'm grateful Lord."
"But you didn't say anything."

Wow. I've been challenged by that. I'm good at giving God my requests. But I'm less faithful to say "thank you." God has blessed my life so much and yet so often I focus on what I wish for. May our thankfulness rise to God louder than our requests. May we spend more time at Heaven's throne offering thanks, than Heaven's complaint counter.

Fear Less

Birds sleep w one eye open & 1/2 brain awake. Tried it. Doesn't wrk 4 me. Think I'll sleep and let He who never slumbers keep me. Fear less.

Manly Men

Just had to share a pic of some of the dudes who served at Rock the River. These manly men are not afraid to lead by serving. The staff of RTR bragged on the heart of our partners who were there. So I'm adding my voice. Love these guys.

Catch me on Twitter

I know I'm behind on posts here. These are busy days for me with PCD's latest release and all the promotions were doing. (For example, last week I signed thousands of pre-release CD's. Cool but time-consuming.) If you'd like to hear from me more often, catch me on Twitter.

Rock the River

The numbers are coming in. Somewhere around 70,000 estimated by the Park Service attended the event yesterday under the Arch. We'll know more in the next few days about how many decisions for Christ there were.

So proud of our SCCC partners! They were leading in service everywhere! We have such amazing people. I heard from one of our elders, Mike Akers, that the staff said they wished they could take our team with them on the road! Sorry. Not gonna happen.